vs.
CR80 30 mil PVC cardsFrom $3.99
Adhesive-backed PVC cardsFrom $9.99
Proximity cards (NoMativ)From $14.99
NTAG NFC cards, 100 packFrom $59.00
Buy the softwareDesign and print ID cards on PC and Mac
Your Cart is Empty.
Let’s Find Your Perfect Printer!
Free Shipping on Orders of $100 or More
Free Shipping on Orders of $100 or More
Compare ID Card Printers
See the Real Differences Before You Buy
- Trusted by 75,000+ Businesses
- Live Bodno pricing on 35 printers from 7 brands
- Running cost per card, not just the sticker price
Choose any two printers to see how they compare on running cost, ribbon life, model age, compatibility, coverage and price, using current Bodno pricing.
Choose Two Printers to Compare
Pick any of the 35 printers we carry for either side.
Popular comparisons:
Bodno A30 vs. Zebra ZC300Bodno A10 vs. Magicard ProntoBodno A10 vs. Evolis Badgy200Bodno A20 vs. Fargo DTC1250eBodno A30 vs. Fargo DTC4500eBodno A40 Pro vs. Zebra ZC350Magicard 400X vs. Magicard 300Magicard D vs. Evolis Primacy 2Magicard 250X vs. Magicard Pronto 100Matica MC320X vs. Zebra ZC300Seaory R330 vs. Fargo HDP5000eSeaory R660 vs. Fargo HDP6600
Compared on the eight things that matter after you buy: running cost, ribbon life, model age, compatibility, coverage, software, speed and price.
What It Costs to Run
Ribbons and blank cards are what you spend every year. The printer is a one-time purchase. Choose how many cards you print and how.
Running cost is the color ribbon at current Bodno prices plus $0.05 per blank card. Both sides means color on both sides. Printer price is the starting price with Bodno software.
Which Printer Fits Your Situation?
The printers our team recommends most often, by how you print.
A few cards a monthThe front desk that prints for new hires as they comeBodno A10
Feed one card at a time and print on demand. The A10 has the lowest starting price in our lineup and includes a lifetime software license.
View printer →Picture dayThe school printing 800 IDs every AugustBodno A30
A 100-card hopper prints front and back in one pass, and each color ribbon covers 300 cards, so a full grade prints in a single session.
View printer →Photos and fine printBadges where faces and barcodes have to scan the first timeBodno A40 Pro
300 x 600 dpi for sharper small text and barcodes, and the only printer in our lineup with 5 years of Bodno TotalCare included.
View printer →General office500 employees, standard employee ID cardsBodno A30
Photo and name on the front, barcode on the back, printed as people join. 300 cards per ribbon at about $0.37 a card, a lifetime software license, and a next-day swap from Bodno if it ever goes down.
View printer →Chip & prox cardsYour door cards already have a chip insideSeaory R660
A retransfer printer prints onto a film and lays it over the card, so it handles chip, prox and cards you already own, with a clean edge-to-edge finish.
View printer →SecurityCards that are hard to fakeMagicard D
HoloKote prints a security watermark into every card using the regular ribbon, so staff can verify a genuine badge at a glance.
View printer →Every ID Card Printer at a Glance
All 35 printers we carry. Start with our top picks or filter by brand.
Swipe the table sideways to see more printers →
 Bodno A10Top pick |  Bodno A20Top pick |  Bodno A30Top pick |  Bodno A40 ProTop pick |  Seaory R330Top pick |  Seaory R660Top pick |  Magicard 250XTop pick |  Magicard 400XTop pick |  Magicard DTop pick |  Matica MC320XTop pick |  Seaory S25 |  Seaory S26 |  Seaory S28 |  Magicard Pronto |  Magicard Pronto 100 |  Magicard 300 |  Magicard 600 |  Magicard Enduro 3e |  Magicard Rio Pro |  Magicard Rio Pro 360 |  Zebra ZC100 |  Zebra ZC300 |  Zebra ZC350 |  Zebra ZXP Series 3 |  Zebra ZXP Series 7 |  Fargo DTC1250e |  Fargo DTC4250e |  Fargo DTC4500e |  Fargo HDP5000 |  Fargo HDP5000e |  Fargo HDP6600 |  Evolis Badgy100 |  Evolis Badgy200 |  Evolis Zenius |  Evolis Primacy 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running cost | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost per card, one side | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost per card, both sides | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cards per color ribbon | 100 | 300 | 300 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 100 | 300 | 300 | 250 | 100 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 100 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 280 | 750 | 250 | 250 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 750 | 100 | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| Longevity & support | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On the market since | 2026 | 2026 | 2026 | 2026 | 2025 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2009 | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 2013 | 2011 | 2016 | 2018 | 2018 | 2018 | 2011 | 2013 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2007 | 2024 | 2018 | 2014 | 2014 | 2011 | 2021 |
| Coverage included | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs + TotalCare™ | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 4 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 3 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 2 yrs | 3 yrs |
| 5-yr TotalCare™ | $299 | $399 | $499 | Included | $749 | $999 | $399 | $499 | $499 | $449 | $299 | $399 | $499 | $299 | $399 | $499 | $549 | — | — | — | $299 | $449 | $499 | — | $899 | $449 | $699 | $699 | — | $999 | $999 | — | — | $399 | $499 |
| Bodno software license | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Compatibility | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Works on Mac | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Windows only | Windows only | Windows only | Windows only | Windows only | Windows only | Windows only | Windows only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Network (Ethernet) | USB only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | USB only | Yes | Yes | USB only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | USB only | Yes | Yes | USB only | Yes | USB only | USB only | Yes | USB only | Yes | Yes | USB only | USB only | USB only | Yes |
| Chip & prox cards | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Best choice | Best choice | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Best choice | Best choice | Best choice | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal | Not ideal |
| Card thickness | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 20–40 mil | 10–40 mil | 10–40 mil | 10–40 mil | 10–40 mil | 10–50 mil | 9–40 mil | 9–40 mil | 9–40 mil | 30–50 mil | 30–50 mil | 30–40 mil | 20–30 mil | 20–30 mil | 10–30 mil | 10–50 mil |
| Input hopper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Output hopper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sides | Single-sided | Single-sided | Dual-sided | Dual-sided | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single-sided | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single-sided | Single-sided | Dual-sided | Single-sided | Single-sided | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single-sided | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single or dual | Single-sided | Single-sided | Single-sided | Single or dual |
| Resolution | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 x 600 | 300 | 600 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 600 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| Color card, seconds | 18s | 18s | 18s | 18s | 19s | 21s | 23s | 19s | 23s | 20s | 18s | 18s | 18s | 35s | 23s | 23s | 18s | 36s | 24s | 19s | 24s | 18s | 16s | 26s | 12s | 16s | 16s | 16s | 32s | 27s | 16s | 45s | 38s | 30s | 15s |
| Price | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Starting price | $995 | $1,595 | $1,995 | $2,995 | $3,999 | $4,999 | $1,299 | $1,549 | $2,595 | $1,349 | $899 | $1,449 | $1,949 | $999 | $1,199 | $1,695.62 | $2,499 | $2,295 | $2,995 | $2,999 | $1,734.60 | $1,708.08 | $2,120.58 | $2,495 | $2,893.48 | $1,599 | $3,399 | $3,533.99 | $4,999 | $4,999 | $5,899 | $999 | $1,099 | $1,258.99 | $1,770.99 |
Trade In Your Old Printer
Any brand, any condition, even if it no longer powers on. Get a trade-in rebate of up to $600 on our top picks.
- Bodno A30 $300
- Bodno A40 Pro $500
- Magicard D $400
- Seaory R660 $600
Frequently Asked Questions
01How do I compare ID card printers when the specs look the same?
Look past print speed. Most color printers we carry finish a card in 15 to 25 seconds. What changes your year is the cost per card, how many cards one ribbon prints, how new the model is, and whether it works with your computer and your cards. Those are the points this page compares.
02Which ID card printer is cheapest to run?
Among the printers we carry, the Bodno A20, A30 and A40 Pro run about $0.35 to $0.37 per color card, including the blank card, because one ribbon prints 300 cards (500 with the A40 Pro's high-yield ribbon). Use the running-cost calculator above to see the real difference at your volume, printing one side or both.
03Is the Bodno A30 better than the Zebra ZC300?
For most offices, it's cheaper to run: about $0.37 per color card on the A30 vs. about $0.55 on the ZC300, including the blank card, and the A30's ribbon lasts 300 cards vs. 200. The A30 is also the newer model (2026 vs. 2018) and comes with a lifetime software license. The ZC300 takes thinner 10 mil cards. Both print front and back.
04Which printers come with a lifetime software license?
Bodno ID card software ships with every printer. Our top picks include a lifetime license: the Bodno A-Series, Magicard 250X, 400X and D, Matica MC320X, and Seaory R330 and R660 (plus the Seaory S-Series). Other printers include a 3-year license that you can renew anytime.
05Why does it matter how old a printer model is?
Every printer model gets retired eventually, and then parts and ribbons get harder to find. When the original Magicard Pronto was discontinued, we moved those customers to the Bodno A10. A newer model simply has more years of parts, ribbons and driver updates ahead of it.
06Direct-to-card or retransfer: which do I need?
For standard white PVC cards, a direct-to-card printer like the Bodno A-Series is the right choice. Pick a retransfer printer like the Seaory R660 if you print on chip, RFID or prox cards, on cards you already have, or want the premium edge-to-edge look.
07What happens if my printer breaks?
Every printer comes with 2 to 4 years of coverage, depending on the model. The Magicard 400X gets 4 years. You can add 5-year Bodno TotalCare: a loaner printer while yours is in for repair, average turnaround under 3 business days, free 1-day shipping both ways, and priority tech support. The A40 Pro includes it.
08Which printers come with a trade-in rebate?
Our top picks do. Send us your old printer, any brand, any condition, even if it doesn't power on, and receive a trade-in rebate: $100 on the Bodno A10 or Magicard 250X, $300 on the A30, $400 on the Magicard D, up to $600 on the Seaory R660. See every trade-in rebate.
Still Deciding Between Two?
Answer a few questions and our team will recommend the right printer for how you print.
